Naruto: The Hyuga Mastermind

Chapter 19: Hyuga Fuji VS Uchiha Yakumaru (Part 2)

The sound of shuriken cutting through the air behind him did not cause Hyuga Fuji's expression to waver in the slightest. In fact, under Uchiha Yakumaru's watchful gaze, a faint, subtle smile appeared on his face.

"Eight Trigrams Palms: Rotation!"

Blue chakra erupted from Fuji's body, surging out of his tenketsu as he spun rapidly. The chakra formed a hemispherical barrier that deflected everything in its range.

Clang, clang.

The shuriken were all sent flying.

Yakumaru, who was too close to the technique, was also caught in its radius. He raised his arms defensively to block the chakra currents of Rotation.

"Rotation? Isn't that a technique exclusive to the Hyuga Main Family?" one knowledgeable ninja murmured in surprise.

Another, with a wilder imagination, muttered, "I heard a Hyuga from the Main Family was killed recently. Could it be…"

Nearby, an Anbu operative with silver hair appeared by Minato's side, silently awaiting orders.

Minato shook his head and replied warmly, "This is a technique he developed on his own. When the Hyuga clan's Fourth Elder died, nothing was stolen from their household."

Then, pausing for a moment, Minato turned slightly to Kakashi and added, "Kakashi, he's a genius just like you… no."

Minato corrected himself. "He's a strong individual. Despite losing his freedom as a child and his comrades on the battlefield, he never stopped striving.

"That Rotation he just used—he's showing it to me because he wants to change his destiny."

Minato's voice softened. "Kakashi, I hope you too can become as strong—not in power, but in spirit."

"Shinobi… always lose so much."

The Anbu operative remained silent.

Seeing this, Minato sighed inwardly.

The Third Hokage had paired Kakashi with Obito for a reason. Obito's optimism and passion saved Kakashi, but at the cost of his own life.

As their teacher, despite being the fastest shinobi in the world, Minato had been too late to save Obito.

I hope Kakashi can recover someday.

---

On the battlefield, Uchiha Yakumaru quickly adapted to the unexpected Rotation, demonstrating his impressive combat skills.

He adjusted his stance in time, holding his arms defensively to mitigate the direct impact. Using the momentum from the clash with Rotation, he managed to widen the distance between himself and Fuji.

"Quick reactions."

Using his Byakugan, Fuji noticed Yakumaru's trembling arms. The faint outline of an Eight Trigrams diagram appeared beneath Fuji's feet.

"Do you want to keep going? Using those arms for Fire Release or Uchiha throwing techniques might be difficult now, don't you think?"

"I told you, don't underestimate me!"

Ignoring his reddened and swollen arms, Yakumaru frowned and asked, "How did you notice? I was sure you detected the shuriken before they were launched."

"You already answered your own question earlier."

Fuji chuckled softly. "On the Mist battlefield, Uchiha throwing techniques were far more effective than Fire Release."

"…"

He's seen it… of course he has.

Yakumaru's expression shifted as thoughts raced through his mind.

It was true of all clans—people often criticized the Hyuga for being overly traditional, their Gentle Fist style passed down unchanged through generations.

But weren't all clans the same?

The Ino-Shika-Cho trio followed their own inherited techniques, and the Uchiha clan was no exception.

Fire Release, Uchiha throwing techniques, and genjutsu techniques derived from the Sharingan formed the foundation of their repertoire.

Yet compared to the Ino-Shika-Cho clans, the Uchiha lineage seemed more powerful—thanks to the Sharingan.

"Uchiha throwing techniques and Fire Release were developed to synergize with the Sharingan," Yamashiro Aoba explained quietly to his teammates.

"Fire Release techniques are highly conspicuous. Unless there's a significant difference in strength, it's not too difficult to dodge or counter them. So, you need to create opportunities for them to hit.

"Some specialized Fire Release users achieve this by expending more chakra to create larger, more powerful techniques. For example, a B-rank jutsu like Great Fire Annihilation can cover a massive area if enough chakra is used.

"Others disguise their Fire Release, like Asuma's Fire Release: Ash Pile Burning, which scatters ash before igniting it. If the enemy doesn't notice, they'll fall right into the trap."

Aoba noticed nearby shinobi listening intently but didn't seem to mind.

"The Uchiha are different. They have the Sharingan!

"With genjutsu from the Sharingan, you can trap your enemy, ensuring Fire Release techniques always land. That's why the Uchiha are considered the strongest Fire Release users in Konoha, if not the entire shinobi world."

In terms of accuracy alone, they were unparalleled.

"As for their throwing techniques, they're based on the Sharingan's dynamic visual acuity, adding tactical variety to their combat."

Aoba sighed, watching the match. "But the Sharingan's illusions are difficult to break. Fighting freely in front of a Sharingan user is nearly impossible. No one can avoid looking at their opponent's upper body.

"If their genjutsu is countered, though, an Uchiha's combat effectiveness drops significantly."

Glancing at the field, where Yakumaru was struggling to keep up with Fuji's composed movements, Aoba continued, "They're both Tokubetsu Jōnin, so the gap in their strength shouldn't be too wide.

"But the moment Hyuga Fuji closed his eyes, Yakumaru had already lost."

It was obvious that Fuji's experience on the Mist battlefield, fighting alongside Uchiha comrades, had given him an intimate understanding of the Uchiha's strengths and weaknesses.

Their information was not equal.

Yakumaru only knew that Fuji was a member of the Hyuga Branch Family. He had no insight into Fuji's true strength or his mastery of Gentle Fist.

Fuji, on the other hand, might not have known Yakumaru's specific abilities, but as a Tokubetsu Jōnin, Yakumaru wasn't likely to surpass higher-ranked Uchiha shinobi.

By comparison, Fuji could extrapolate much of what Yakumaru could do.

---

"You don't need to keep going."

After using Rotation to block another Dragon Flame Jutsu, Fuji addressed the panting Yakumaru.

"Our fight doesn't prove anything."

"The Sharingan has advantages the Byakugan lacks. Its copying ability allows Uchiha shinobi to quickly learn and improve in both taijutsu and ninjutsu, and its offensive capabilities far surpass the Byakugan."

Not to mention, when the Sharingan first awakened, it brought a significant boost to a shinobi's overall ability.

A stable, fully matured Sharingan wielder with three tomoe already had chakra levels and physical stats exceeding an average chūnin, reaching at least Tokubetsu Jōnin standards.

"Our clan's Byakugan is ultimately… more inclined toward support."

Yet in their final evolutionary forms, the roles reversed.

The Rinnegan's abilities were heavily technique- and support-focused, while the Tenseigan was overwhelmingly destructive and a massive boost to combat power—like ascending to a godlike level in an instant.

The Rinnegan became more like the Byakugan, and the Tenseigan more like the Sharingan—a curious transformation.

Having exhausted himself with multiple Fire Release techniques, Yakumaru dropped to one knee, too fatigued to continue.

"Damn it!"

Frustrated, he pounded the ground with his fist before glaring at Fuji from a distance.

"I surrender! But don't get cocky. I'll study and develop genjutsu that doesn't rely on the Sharingan. One day, I'll challenge you again!"

And on that day, I'll shatter your calm, indifferent expression.

With that, he stood and reluctantly formed the Seal of Reconciliation with Fuji.

The proctor appeared at the right moment and declared, "The winner is Hyuga Fuji!"

(End of Chapter)